Battle Set Up – Subsector Johnnytus
Welcome back to Subsector Johnnytus, home of the mighty Space Marine chapter known as the Ork Blasters. This battle finds us again on Planet Crystalia again, only this time in the Morot Desert. Having recently been fended off by Captain Blade and his Initiates, the Orks were ready to return and help push an assault towards Ratagash City and establish a base camp for further Ork incursions. Led by the vicious Warboss Muckmaw, the Orks had seized one of the two gun placements from the local Imperial Guard at a pass needed to hold Ratagash City. Muckmaw knew that were he to capture the gun placements, he and his Boyz would swell in size and number giving him all the support he needed to bring the battle to the ‘umies in Ratagash City. If he was lucky, he’d get to smash a few beakies along the way and add their ‘eads to his Boss Pole. Chaplain Catcha (herein played by Chaplain Cassius) was quick to respond though and reinforce the second gun placement. He was tasked with securing both gun placements at all costs. He would have the aid of his two fallen Battle Brothers in Dreadnought armor for this battle, Brother Ascio and Zistis. Plus Veterans of countless Ork conflicts from the chapter would help their Chaplain counter the Ork threat, adding their expertise in ranged and flamer weaponry. This would be a truly elite battle force skilled in one thing most of all…killing Orks! The goal for each side was simple. Eliminate the opposition all the while trying to capture the enemy’s gun placements.

Set Up into Turn 1

I won the roll but made Jamie deploy and go first. I didn’t try to seize initiative (opting to have his guys advance towards my gun lines). He deployed his guys at the mid line (both Boyz mobs) his Warboss deploying with the 2nd group. I deployed my guns off to the right away from my objective. They were simply Combat Squad Missile Launchers. I had Cassius riding/deploying with the Veterans.

End of Turn 1

Night fighting was of little consequence. Jamie went first and didn’t run his Kans. Just advanced them forward and ran with his Burna Boyz. He moved forward and tried running with the Orks but didn’t get far (rolled 1’s). My turn came and I lit him up. I pushed my Razorbacks forward near my objective and pushed my Dreadnoughts to support my Missile Launchers. My Dreadnought hit the front row of boys with a searchlight and I opened up on them. My Missile Launchers mostly whiffed but I had knocked out most of the 30 Boyz mob up front, leaving only 9. I did kill 3 of the second Boyz mob with a scattered missile shot though.

End of Turn 2

Shocked, but his Warboss actually charged one of my RB’s and wrecks it. I exit out of the side. His first squad of Boyz charge my Missile guys and it doesn’t end well for me. One squad is completely wiped. He consolidates. He runs the Burnas and other Kans forward. During my turn, I destroy the remainder of the right squad and force them to flee like girls. I bring the flamer pain. 5 Flamers drop a total of 30 Ork Boyz down to 6. One more round of shooting destroys the leftovers. I charge the Warboss with my one of my Sergeant led Combat Squads, Veterans, and Cassius. I get one Wound and he destroys the most of my Veterans (Fearless). Ouch!

End of Turn 3

Jamie runs forward with all his troops and takes a pot shot with his Kans to the left, nothing. He destroys the rest of my Veterans and will soon deal with my combat squad. I push the other squads together and advance. My two Razorbacks, one Dreadnought, and all my non-CC Marines unload and wipe out the Burna Boyz. I use one Dreadnought to destroy a single Kan. Back in CC, I manage to do nothing but the Warboss causes the one combat squad to flee to the edge of the board between the two RB’s. Cassius takes a single wound. About this time I realize I really need to push towards the objective with his Warboss currently on mine.

Middle of Turn 4? (4th Turn Stretch)

We may have lost track of a turn here. I put my Combat Squad guys in a RB and rushed forward. Jamie tries to take out the RB with the Kan but has Weapons Destroyed on his CCW (he is Shaken so he cannot shoot). The other Kans try taking out my Missile Launcher and fail. The Warboss finishes off Cassius (Cassius gets him down to 1 wound). The Warboss consolidates. I think this is mid-turn so before I took my part of the 4th turn (hence the “4th Turn Stretch”).

SM Turn 4 into Turn 5 (Sorry, No Picture)
So during my turn I gunned it towards the objective and he tried to valiantly stop me. I use my remaining missile guy and Dreadnoughts to destroy the one Kan in attack range/contest range. I push back my trapped Razorback and shoot my Twin-Linked Heavy Bolter shots at his Warboss to free up my objective. Three Shots -> Three Hits. Three Hits -> Two Wounds. Two Wounds -> One Saved…or more importantly, One Failed! So the Warboss dies and I am relieved to have my objective free. I may not control it but neither does my opponent.

We roll to end the game, but Jamie rolls a 6 and we continue to play. It would’ve been a draw at this point otherwise.

End of Turn 6 – End Game

Jamie decides not to shoot at my Razorback w/ crew as he doesn’t have a clear shot so he attacks my Missile Launcher squad and kills one guy. They pass leadership. During my turn, I rush to the objective and unload. I take a pot shot at his guys but don’t hit. We roll a dice and the game ends. Marines are on his deployment objective and he has nobody to contest mine. Marines win! (Not pictured, Missile Launcher guy + 1) We March for Mercon! And They Shall Know No Fear!

Thoughts
Jamie was definitely very cool. He actually suffered the same problem I did last time with my Ork strategy (by leaving his Kans and Burnas in the back rather than advancing as a whole). Nightfighting didn't matter since he was so close and forced him to go first and approach me (making the targeting distance that much less). I had no desire to seize initiative or anything to that effect. So in terms of Kill Points, both of us had the same amount at the end. Jamie had 5 Kill Points (HQ, 2 Combat Squads, 1 Razorback, Veteran Squad) and I had 5 as well (HQ, 2 Boyz Squads, Burna Squad, 1 Kan Squad). I inflicted an obnoxious 20+ wounds with a single round of flamers with no saves to speak of…shooting definitely won the day for me and denying the Ork Furious Charges were key.

Storyline

While the enemies of the Emperor still draw breath, there can be no peace! As the remaining Kill Kans ran from the pass, a Tech-Marine for the Ork Blasters lined up the sights on one of newly retaken gun placements and laid waste to the xenos. No quarter would be given and they would suffer dearly for their insolence.

Alas, Captain Blade arrived at the scene of the battle, saddened that the Chapter had lost the venerable Chaplain Catcha and his fierce squad of Veterans. He had fought alongside the now fallen battle brothers numerous times only to emerge victorious time and time again. Additionally, a full tactical squad worth of battle brothers had also fallen but Ratagash City would not fall on this day. “Pro gloria et patria,” yelled Blade into the hot desert sky.
Blade was sure that there would be further attacks. Part of him was relieved that the worthless guardsmen hadn’t been tasked with defending the gun battlements. He was sure that he’d be prepping for a full scale Orkish onslaught had that been the case. Ork Warbosses would rise again. Perhaps one day the Ork Blasters might be able to fully eliminate all traces of Orks and Ork spores in the region… …but whispers of a new threat arise. A threat that the Imperium knows all too well, but one that hadn’t been seen in Subsector Johnnytus. Captain Blade looked down at his new orders; he had been dispatched immediately to Planet Mercon to prep the defenses of the populous Hive World’s capital of Lillardia.